The invention relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly to terminal blocks for interconnecting electrical wires or conductors.
Terminal blocks may be used in electrical systems and devices to interconnect electrical conductors for transmitting power or electrical signals therethrough. In conventional terminal blocks, a first array of electrical wires may be inserted through one side of an insulative housing where the electrical wires of the first array engage conductive pathways in the housing. A second array of electrical wires may also engage the conductive pathways through another side of the housing. As such, each conductive pathway may transmit an electrical current between two interconnected electrical conductors.
The insulative housing of the conventional terminal blocks may be constructed by two or more different housing components. Prior to assembly, electrical contacts may be inserted into or formed with the housing components. The housing components may then be coupled together to form the terminal block. For example, one housing component may have flexible outer latches that extend along a side of the housing component. The outer latches may be configured to grip or couple to an exterior surface of the other housing component.
However, the outer latches may limit the usefulness of such terminal blocks. Terminal blocks are frequently used in electrical systems or devices with limited available space. The outer latches may require additional space or may use space that would otherwise be available for interconnecting the electrical conductors. Furthermore, the terminal blocks may be unable to couple to each other end-to-end due to the outer latches. Another problem with some known terminal blocks is that the assembly of the terminal blocks may be complex and require several parts. This may lead to increased costs for manufacturing and assembling the terminal blocks.
Accordingly, there is a need for terminal blocks that require less space and are less costly to manufacture than known terminal blocks. There is also a need for terminal blocks that may be coupled together end-to-end to form a terminal block assembly.